


terrible new ache

by touchszn



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Spider-Man Fusion, Getting Together, M/M, Pining, Practice Kissing, kpop ficmix 2019, specifically amazing spiderman 1-verse (not 2. i have taste)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-09
Updated: 2019-09-09
Packaged: 2020-10-04 08:50:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,429
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20468327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/touchszn/pseuds/touchszn
Summary: They’re practicing. Mingyu is practicing. Minghao might be… doing something else entirely at this point. He isn’t sure.





	terrible new ache

**Author's Note:**

  * For [knightspur](https://archiveofourown.org/users/knightspur/gifts).
  * Inspired by [easy love](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10758732) by [knightspur](https://archiveofourown.org/users/knightspur/pseuds/knightspur). 

> KNIGHTSPUR....... u are like a god 2 me. its like completely wild that i got u for this i think i started reading ur fic when i first got into svt and when i pulled ur name i was like............ Oh Jeez........... this HAS to be good. so!!!!!! i hope you like it!!! easy love is suuuuuch a warm fic and it has a special place in my heart sooooo heres THIS TRAINWRECK IG
> 
> title from tracy k smith's "wade in the water"

Kissing Mingyu always feels like an accident. The first time, it had been, it must have been. Minghao can’t really remember at this point, but that’s always been the excuse, hasn’t it?

Mingyu kisses slow, like the weight of the world rests not upon his shoulders, like he has time. Minghao hates it. So they practice. And practice. And Minghao goes to parties and he sees Mingyu and they sit criss-cross on the floor, nose to nose and they  _ practice _ .

There is no name for this feeling, Minghao thinks. But he likes the accidents.

“Ah, sorry,” Mingyu will sigh into his mouth as soon as their lips brush, as if Minghao hadn’t been leaning forward, too. 

And Minghao thinks he knows what he’s apologizing for: using his best friend. But Minghao doesn’t mind. There’s a greedy part of him that doesn’t mind, not at all, not if it means Mingyu drinks wine with him in the evenings and kisses him like they have  _ time _ . 

Because they don’t, and that’s the funny part. 

  
  
  


The TV is on in the other room and Minghao can just make out what’s being said. 

_ Spider-Man _ , a TV personality goes on animatedly,  _ is just getting in the way of the real heroes. People like Police Chief Casey and the DA. He’s a hooligan in a red suit and I for one think he should be put down.  _

“Jesus,” Mingyu breathes and Minghao can’t tell if he’s blaspheming over the news report or over the fact that he’s in 8th place in MarioKart. 

Minghao hums. The news drones on in the background, it’s hot in Minghao’s room, Mingyu leans innocently against Minghao’s leg and it’s all getting to be a bit much. 

“What do you think of him?” Mingyu asks once their race is over, but he doesn’t turn back to look.

“Who?” Minghao flops back onto his bed bonelessly. 

“Spider-Man, duh. What’s your take?”

There’s something there, in his voice when he speaks, that gives something away. Minghao just can’t suss out what it is just yet. He pushes himself up to his elbows, finds Mingyu looking at him. 

“He’s pretty brave,” Minghao says and he revels in the way Mingyu’s lips twitch up at the corners, like he’s stiffling a laugh. 

“Yeah?” he asks, laughs, as he flops down on the bed next to Minghao. 

Minghao nods. 

This is the part where Mingyu will ask Minghao if they can kiss again, for practice. He does, he asks and they come together so slow Minghao has time to count eyelashes, skin blemishes. 

This feels different, somehow. He hopes he gives nothing away, but he knows he must be making something complicated grow between them, he can feel it against his skin when he moves. 

Mingyu laughs against his lips. “We’re getting better, I think.”

There is something in his voice that pushes at Minghao’s ribs, that tells him there must still exist this barrier between the two of them, before he gives himself away. When Mingyu pulls his lip between his teeth and looks at him like he’s never had more fun, Minghao falls backwards on the couch and rolls off it gracelessly. 

“I wanna watch something,” he says, by way of an excuse.

That night, Mingyu slips out the window and into the dark without a word.

  
  
  


They don’t really talk about it, after. And that’s fine with Minghao. He’s taking what he can get.

They’re practicing. Mingyu is practicing. Minghao might be… doing something else entirely at this point. He isn’t sure. 

He takes stock of his feelings sometimes, finds one that he still doesn’t have a name for. 

He doesn’t have time for this feeling, not when his city is falling apart and the chances of being kidnapped by a roided up lizard are skyrocketing by the second. 

Mingyu shows up in Minghao’s apartment sometimes covered in bruises and Minghao can do nothing for him. 

He can joke about it, maybe, and he does, sometimes. 

“Should I see the other guy?” he’ll ask and Mingyu will chuckle and act like he hasn’t cracked a rib. 

Minghao never really asks because he’s not sure he wants an answer. Not yet anyway. 

One night Mingyu rings Minghao’s doorbell for once, waits outside in the rain, then grumbles when Minghao chastises him. Minghao pulls him toward the couch sets him down and begins fussing and that’s when the kissing starts. 

It’s not like it usually is. This time, Mingyu is rushed and frantic, his hands resting nervously on Minghao’s shoulders, then on his waist. Minghao pulls back, takes stock. 

There’s no more blood than there usually is. And Minghao’s getting better and better about putting puzzles together. “Has anyone ever told you you’re a bad kisser?” he asks.

“Just you,” Mingyu smiles, and there, just there-- he’s chipped a tooth. 

Minghao’s not sure what to make of him. 

“All the more reason to practice, then,” Mingyu says and pulls him forward.

It’s still too fast. It still holds too much of an emotion Minghao still doesn’t have a word for yet. And in this moment, Minghao is sure Mingyu knows, can feel the desperation though Minghao’s fingertips, he’s got to because he’s trying so hard to communicate something in so few words. In no words, preferably. So, Minghao kisses Mingyu like they have time and Mingyu bares his teeth and when he leaves, that night, it feels something like a goodbye. 

  
  
  


When Minghao reads the Daily Bugle headline the next day, he knows for sure. Before, it’d just been a hunch, but now… 

**SPIDER-MAN DISGRACED: POLICE CHIEF FOUND DEAD ATOP OSCORP TOWER**

Is there some sort of standard protocol for when you learn you’ve been kissing Spider-man in his off-time?

  
  
  
  
  


Sometimes, Minghao doesn’t see Mingyu for weeks at a time. There’s usually texts, though, inbetween, that make up for the lack of proximity. This time is different, though. 

Minghao hasn’t heard from Mingyu in three weeks. But he’s seen Spider-Man in the news. Which is fine, that’s fine. He needs space. 

Minghao makes tea and forgets about it four times before he gives up. He leaves his oven on, once. And like, he’s fine. He’s clearly fine. 

Mingyu’s found out. He knows how Minghao feels and he’s decided he’s better off without all the complications. He’d seen this coming.

Minghao burns toast and doesn’t send Mingyu any texts. 

He RSVPs for Soonyoung’s birthday party and doesn’t send Mingyu any texts. 

Spider-man’s on TV. Minghao turns it off.

  
  
  


It’s only when Minghao sees Mingyu at Soonyoung’s birthday party that he truly starts feeling truly annoyed. This shouldn’t be where their friendship ends. They can stop kissing, they can totally stop kissing, Minghao doesn’t care. He can make himself stop feeling like his heart is beating outside of his chest when Mingyu looks at him. He can do that. 

Before he knows what he’s doing, Minghao has Mingyu by the sleeve and is leading him away from all the noise.

Mingyu looks like he’s seen a ghost. 

It’s boring, this is so boring, and Minghao is so tired. He wants to level the playing ground. Mingyu knows a secret of his, it’s only fair Minghao lets him know they’ve both got dirt on each other.

“Are you mad at me?” Minghao asks. 

“What?” Mingyu responds, like he’s blindsided, like this is the last question he thought he’d be asked tonight. “No, of course I’m not mad at you.”

“Then why?”

They’re looking at each other, Mingyu’s swallowing, opening his mouth to say something and then--

“I think I have a crush on you,” Mingyu says at the same time Minghao blurts out “I know you’re Spider-man.”

Minghao wants to kiss the stupid, dumbstruck look right off Mingyu’s face, but it’s Mingyu who reaches for Minghao first, hands shaking and hesitant. 

He brings their foreheads together and this is as close as they’ve been in weeks. Minghao feels Mingyu’s breath fan across his face.

“I thought you were mad because you figured out that I liked you,” Minghao admits, fingers coming up to trace the lengths of Mingyu’s own. 

“Oh,” Mingyu breathes and he’s smiling again, shaking less. “You know, I thought it would be safer for you if I left you alone. But I’m  _ really _ selfish.”

Minghao huffs out a laugh. “I’m in danger either way.”

“Fair.”

“Does this mean I get to start kissing you again?” Minghao asks, nosing at Mingyu’s cheek lightly. 

“Fuck yeah.”

Something Minghao learns, soon after, is that just because you’ve stopped calling it  _ practice  _ doesn’t mean it stops being  _ incredibly  _ informative. 

**Author's Note:**

> @xyxxcs on twt


End file.
